Summer Williams, DNP, PMHNP-BC, WHNP-NCC-E
Reconnect with yourself & improve alignment through
holistic mental health approaches...
About Listening To The Birds
Why listening to the birds?
First and foremost, I love birds. But more deeply, the name reflects my personal journey toward a more mindful, grounded, and grateful way of being. The world can be heavy and overwhelming, and I am awake & aware to how easy it is to lose yourself in the noise of it all. It's taken me many years to find more peace, often hard-won, and rarely easy. But I've noticed that in times of stress or overwhelm, if I pause and can hear the birds, something shifts. In those moments I feel more connected and reassured.
In those small, quiet moments, I rediscover a sense of balance and awe, a gratitude for being here, in this life, at this time. It reminds me of the duality of life; the beautiful and the not so beautiful, both held together in the same breath.
My background
I began my professional nursing career in 2007, working in Labor & Delivery after earning a Bachelor os Science in Nursing with a minor in Psychology. During that time, I had the profound honor of being preset for over a thousand births which shaped by deep respect for the human experience and the strength of women and families.
In 2012, I completed a Master of Scientific in Nursing (MSD) with a focus in Women's Health. While the path that followed took some unexpected turns, those detours eventually led me back to school with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity around how I wanted to practice and what I hoped to offer.
In 2019, I earned a second MSN, this time with a specialization in Psychiatric/Mental Health. At the same time, I was enrolled in a dual doctoral program and went on to complete my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2023. My doctoral research focused on the unmet needs and psychological distress of cancer caregivers, explored through a qualitative lens. I may return to complete the PhD component in the future, though at this time, I don't feel called in that direction.
In 2022, I began a mentorship with a Naturopathic physician based in the UK; a transformative experience that opened my eyes, and heart, to a deeper, even more integrative approach to healing. Combined with years of personal research, this mentorship helped me piece together a more holistic understanding of health and well-being, and affirmed for me the undeniable interconnectedness of all things.
Philosophy & Approach
At the heart of my philosophy is a deep trust in the innate intelligence of the body. I believe that many of the symptoms we label as "negative" or "disruptive" are often messages; signposts pointing us toward what is out of balance. Rather than viewing emotional distress as evidence that something is inherently "wrong", I see it as the body, mind and spirit's way of communicating its unmet needs. The work, then, is not to silence these signals, but to learn how to listen...
My approach as a holistic Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHMP) has emerged from years of learning, unlearning, and relearning; professionally and personally. I currently practice without prescribing medications, choosing instead to focus on a multidimensional model of care. This includes mindfulness, movement, nutrition and supplementation, psychotherapy, energy and spiritual insight, breath work, stress reduction, and more.
In our work together, I aim to support you in reconnecting with your values, your inner wisdom, and your resilience. I believe that YOU are the expert of your own experience. My role is to help you return to a more aligned, present and empowered version of yourself; using my education & training, lived experience, ongoing research and intuitive understanding as tools along the way.
Listening To The Birds
thank you...
It's an honor and privilege to support others in reconnecting with their inner strength, wisdom and purpose. I truly love helping people remember who they are and what they are capable of!
I look forward to meeting you and walking alongside you...
Sincerely,
Summer
A Medicine Woman's Prayer
I will not rescue you, for you are not powerless.
I will not fix you, for you are not broken.
I will not heal you, for I see you in your wholeness.
I will walk with you through the darkness, as you remember your light. -S.B. Tilsley